Trevor Lawrence shows full faith in Liam Coen while shooting down Steelers rumor

Trevor Lawrence's 2024 campaign was categorically a disappointment.

Rather than take a step forward, the Jacksonville Jaguars stalled en route to four wins. That was the end of Doug Pederson's tumultuous tenure. Lawrence, a former No. 1 pick signed to a landmark $275 million contract, threw for 2,045 yards across 10 starts, with 11 touchdowns, seven interceptions and three fumbles. He completed just 60.6 percent of his passes.

Jacksonville's offensive woes stretched far beyond Lawrence, but it's hard not to blame a franchise quarterback making $55 million per year when the entire thing falls apart. Lawrence continues to struggle with turnovers and decision-making under pressure. He has all the tools a team could ask for at QB, but until he gets a handle on that canon, the natural talent won't amount to much.

The hope is that new head coach Liam Coen can elevate Lawrence to the next level. He was integral to Baker Mayfield's ascent in Tampa Bay. It was the only reason to sign Coen. That made the sudden Lawrence trade rumors that erupted last week oddly timed, to say the least.

Why would the Jags hire a QB whisperer and then trade their top-of-market quarterback? It didn't make much sense, but the team connected to Lawrence — the Pittsburgh Steelers — made for quite an intriguing landing spot on paper. Lawrence has disappointed in Jacksonville, so the idea of cashing in, recouping draft capital, and resetting does have some merit to it, even if it never felt realistic.

Lawrence put Steelers talk in the grave on Monday, though.

Trevor Lawrence reaffirms commitment to Jaguars amid shocking Steelers rumors

In an appearance on Up & Adams, Lawrence was asked about the Steelers rumors. He laughed them off, reminding folks that he has a no-trade clause, and indicating zero knowledge of a potential trade.

"I don't want to leave Jacksonville. I'm happy here, obviously. Not going to Pittsburgh."

We pretty much knew the Trevor Lawrence dream was dead before it ever had life, but this is still a tough pill to swallow for Pittsburgh fans. Even with all the understandable qualms over Lawrence's exorbitant salary, it's hard to find true franchise quarterbacks in the NFL. At 25, Lawrence is still on the upswing of his career, and he should have another decade of quality starts in the tank.

It has been tough sledding for the Steelers at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Kenny Pickett never panned out (that's Super Bowl champ Kenny Pickett, to you) and the Russell Wilson experiment fell completely flat in 2024. Russ started strong, but ended the campaign with five straight losses, during which his turnover issues crept up and his efficiency cratered.

Justin Fields feels like the wagon the Steelers will attempt to hitch themselves to this summer, but for as rough as Lawrence's Jaguars tenure has been, he'd be a heck of a lot more appealing than Fields. Whereas Fields requires a more restrained and conservative approach, Lawrence has the sort of live arm this Steelers offense is missing. He can generate explosive plays, improvise under pressure, and generate consistent results in the passing game — even if he needs to get his turnover demons under control.

One could even argue that Pittsburgh is the ideal destination for Lawrence. The Steelers' offense is conservative by nature with Arthur Smith calling the shots. That might not align well with Lawrence at first blush, but there's a chance Pittsburgh's more deliberate, balanced offense would keep Lawrence's mistakes in check. He is going to generate more dynamic offense than Wilson or Fields just because of who he is, even with a tight-laced OC.

Jacksonville isn't getting rid of Lawrence anytime soon, however. That much is clear. If the Steelers want to swing for the fences at quarterback, Omar Khan and the front office will need to look elsewhere.